Francis



(Model) P. O. GRAVES.

STAMP STICKER.

Patented Jan. 23,1883.

I W/ T/VESSES mwwmww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS C. GRAVES, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF .TO LINUS' B. PLIMPTON, OF SAME PLACE.

STAMP-STICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,948, dated January 23, I853.

Y Application filed April 13,1882. (ModeL) 4 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS G. GRAVES, of Hartford,in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvements in Stamp-Stickers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved device for sticking postage or other stamps and all articles of like nature to the surfaces to which they are to be applied, the object of the invention being to provide a device of this characr fer which shallcombine simplicity of construction and 'ease of operation with durability and efiiciency in use, and which shall be adapted to be manufactured and supplied to the trade at a comparatively light cost.

\Vith this object in view, my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a stamp-sticking device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal crosssection taken through Fig. 1; and Fig.

3 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of the 0 stamp-receptacle of the stamp-sticker.

The stamp-receptacle A, which is open at top and bottom, and which has vertical side walls, is conformed in general contour to the shape of the stamps or labels to be applied by 5 it. Two sides of the said receptacle are provided with spring-arms B, the lower ends of which are bent to engage with the stamps and retain them in the receptacle, offering at the same time comparatively little resistance to 40 their successive removal therefrom. The said arms have another function, in that in virtue of theirresiliency they may besprungoutwardlyto permit the whole charge of stamps to be withdrawn in a body, the stamps being introduced 4 5 into the receptacle through the open top. As the stamps are successively removed from the receptacle their places are immediately filled by the remaining stamps, which are forced downward by the action of the spring 0, inter posed between the diaphragm D and the guideframe E and encircling the rod F, which reciprocates in the said frame, and to the lower end of which the diaphragm aforesaid is secured, said rod being also provided with a knob, G, by which it is actuated. The said diaphragm is provided with a pad, A, of felt or equivalent material, the same being designed to bring the exposed stamp and the moisteningpads into more perfect contact than could be effected by the diaphragm alone; but the pad may be substituted by small springs or the equivalents thereof and, if desired, the sprin garms may be substituted by rigid ones.

In the drawings, the sides of the box. are shown as being provided with open vertical slots I, which receive the springs B and permit them to enter into a close relationship with the stamps; but this feature of construction is not essential and may be omitted.

The moistening-box L is provided with one or more wells, M, the upper walls of which are slightly diverged to facilitate the introduction of the stamp-receptacle into them. These wells rest upon a sheet of wire-netting, N, which is laid over a layer, 0, of felt or other fibrous material covering the bottom of the box. Narrow chambers P, located on opposite sides of the wells, communicate with them through the fibrous layer 0 and the wire-netting N, above alluded to. The said chambers are filled with a mass, .Q, of felt or of an equivalent material, whichis saturated with water or muchage, the same being transmitted through the fibrous layer 0 to the small felt pads R, located in the bottom of the wells.

These pads should be of the same shape but smaller than the stamps, to avoid moistening the edges of several stamps in moistening the stamp exposed.

If the device is employed to apply gummed stamps or labels,the fibrous material in the moistening-box should be saturated with water; but in the event ofits employment to applyungummed articles the materials in the moistening-box should besaturated with mucilage or other adhesive substance, and when such substances are employed the fibrous materials should be coarser or more porous than when water is used.

The holder S, which is attached to one side of the box L, is designed to hold the stampsticker when not in use.

Having fully described my improvement, I will briefly set forth its method of operation.

Supposingthestamp-receptacletobecharged with stamps, it is introduced into one of the wells M, where its exposed stamp is moistened by contact with the moistening-pad in the well, such contact resulting from pressure upon the knob G. The stamp-receptacle is now withdrawn and applied to the article to which the stamp is to be attached, thus engaging the moistened stamp therewith. The receptacle is now lifted, leaving the stamp attached to the article.

It is apparent that, aside from those changes which may be necessary to meet the various practical requirements, other changes may be made in the device. I would therefore have it understood that I do notlimit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In aportable hand stamp-sticker, the combination, with a stamp-receptacle open at the top and bottom,of springstamp-retaining arms attached to opposite sides of the receptacle and extending under its lower end, a guideframe composed of a single strip of metal, the

ends of which are secured to the sides of the 35 stamp-receptacle, a rod extending above and arranged to reciprocate in said frame, a knob secured to the upper end of the rod and a diaphragm attached to its lower end, and a spring encircling the rod and interposed between the guide-frame and the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

2. In a moistening-box, the combination, with one or more pads located therein, of chambers situated on opposite sides of said wells, fibrous material located in said chambers, and a fibrous layer extending from the chambers to the wells, substantially as set forth.

3. In a moisteningbox, the combination, withpne or more wells and pads located therein, ofchambers situated on opposite sides of said wells, fibrous material located in said 01121111 bers, a fibrous layer extending from the chambers to'the wells,and a wire-netting interposed between the bottoms of the wells and the fibrous layer, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANGI S Q. GRAVES.

Witnesses WILLIAM HACK, FREDERICK PLIMPTON. 

